Various designs for footwear tongue or gusset portions, which are fabricated to achieve particular results, such as either being a tongue portion for underlying the laces engaging the footwear eyestay, a tongue that incorporates a shallow cavity therein, or even a tongue formed in the shape of a gusset, that attaches partially upwardly of the eyestay, for adding waterproofing attributes to the footwear, particularly a boot, have long been available in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,060, to Adamik, discloses a construction of tongue for shoe or the like article, and wherein the tongue contains a shallow compartment along its length, for providing means for retention of items, such as the coins as shown, therein. Such a formed compartment also discloses a fold over portion, functioning as a closure element, and which is retained in closure by means of the shown fastening elements, which appear to be fabricated in the manner of a form of Velcro. In addition to the foregoing, the U.S. Pat. No. 143,392, to Barlow, shows a shoe tongue for a stroller type of footwear and which includes a designed pocket therein. A similar type of relationship is shown in the other Barlow U.S. Pat. No. D. 143,301.
In addition, the U.S. Pat. No. 601,192, to Woodside, discloses a tongue for boots or shoes, and which is formed as a flexible tongue having a front piece and backing piece, with elastic or flexible stuffing contained therein, to provide a more cushioned form of tongue for use in conjunction with boots or shoes, as identified. The U.S. Pat. No. 3,018,570, to Bliese, discloses a combined shoe and purse, wherein a purse portion is fabricated into the construction of the toe piece for the disclosed shoe. It appears that the pocket portion is integrated onto the toe cap as disclosed.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,287, to Gulbransen, shows a pocket attached onto an athletic shoe, but it is not disclosed as being fabricated onto the tongue portion of the footwear itself. Similarly, the U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,557, to Gamm, shows a pocket part fabricated onto a quarter portion for footwear. The additional U.S. Pat. No. D. 271,157, to Gamm, discloses an athletic shoe with a pocket, wherein the pocket is formed in the fold over portion of the shoe gusset, or tongue, as can be noted. An additional U.S. Pat. No. 4,630,386, to Mr. Gamm, discloses the utility patent upon the shoe with gusset pocket development, disclosing a related type of pocket formed in the shoe gusset, and which folds over for overlying the lacing and eyestay for the disclosed athletic shoe. Finally, a further U.S. Pat. No. De. 281,925, to Gamm, discloses a pocket formed into the footwear gusset or tongue, and which is of one of the types as previously alluded to in the introductory portion of this background of the invention. All of the Gamm patents are owned by a common assignee to the invention herein disclosed.
These are examples of modifications made to the tongue or gusset of footwear, but the invention of this current development advances the utility of the footwear tongue one step further, in providing for its reversibility, so as to allow various indicia to be displayed, rather promptly, simply upon a turning of the tongue in its installation within the footwear structure, or for providing a disclosed pocket, or the reverse thereof, a concealed pocket, simply through the reversing of the shoe tongue during its application.